1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locking device, e.g. for weapons or similar items, the locking device comprising an elongated hollow body intended to fit into the barrel of the weapon or a similar item with a small clearance, said body being provided with at least two telescoping parts, a locking device inserted in the body during telescoping achieving an expansion of one of the parts in such a way that the body is fixedly locked m the barrel.
2. History of the Related Art
In a locking device of this type known from GB-A-2,234,047 one of the parts is provided with a slotted ring with an inner tapered shape, the other part having a tapered pin, against which the ring is resting. When rotating the locking device so that the parts are pushed together, the ring travels up on the tapered pin and expands radially towards the inner barrel mantle surface, whereby the body is fixedly locked in the barrel. When the key is removed from the locking device the weapon thus becomes unusable by means of the body locked in the barrel. At the opposite end of the locking body from the locking device a releasing device is arranged, which by means of an explosive charge shoots a number of locking pins against the inner barrel mantle surface with a sufficiently high pressure at this end applied on the locking body.
It has been proved that the known locking device has certain disadvantages. The ring expansion against the inner barrel mantle surface is performed by contracting the two locking barrel parts a predetermined length, e.g. by means of a threaded joint, the parts then being relatively immobile. By this the ring expands with a certain predetermined force so that the barrel is not damaged by indentations. This means that also the friction keeping the body locked in the barrel is limited. It has, therefore under certain conditions been impossible to shoot the locking body out of the barrel. The release of the explosive charge is performed by means of a piston acting on two springs to provide a pressure sufficiently large to project the piston powerfully against the charge. However, it has in practice been proved that an impact force has to be applied on the piston to release the charge, whereas a regular pressure applied against the locking body end enables to press the locking device out of the barrel without releasing the charge.
The main object of the present invention is to remove the weak points of the known locking device and to provide a locking device which cannot be removed from the barrel by pushing the locking device out from the barrel.
These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing the locking device with the characteristics specified in the claims to follow.